Scale The Walls Like Spider-Man

Earth Treks has a state of the art indoor climbing facility that offers a challenging and rewarding experience for the new climbers and climbing veterans. If your looking to rock climb but not ready brave the elements? Then consider an indoor climbing gym.

Founded in 1990, they have become the largest rock climbing service in the region. They have a trained staff that have taught over 20,000 people to climb. That is a reassuring number especially when you have certain sections scaling up to 50 feet.

Don’t have any climbing gearor just want to try this out? Then consider going to one of theirOpen Climbs from 9-5 PM on the weekends. It’s for adults and kids ages five and older. It’s $20 and comes with a free harness rental and 3 climbs. If you start to get the hang of it and want to climb some more than it’s only $5 for each additional climb. This is a great way to test the waters to see if rock climbing is for you. No experience necessary.

Open Climbs are first come and first serve and recommended from their website to come between 10AM to 4PM for best service.

Of course you must sign a waiver before climbing and anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or court appointed guardian sign on their behalf. Due to rough contact on the wall, closed-toed shoes such as sneakers are required. Any open-toed footwear such as flip-flops and clogs are inappropriate and prohibited.

Earth Treks also embarks on expeditions outside of the safe indoor facility. With their experienced guides they take climbing expeditions across the world. This coming year they are planning on leading expeditions to the Andes of Ecuador and to Tanzania‘s Mount Killimanjaro. If your interested check out their expeditions page.

Great Events, No Cost!

Now that the Fall season has come, the city of Baltimore decided to take the Month of November to highlight great organizations and museums by offering free events to the public.

Sponsored by Susquehanna Bankand the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, they shape the month of October to showcase the diversity and arts of the city.

With Free Fall Baltimore, those looking to partake in Baltimore sightseeing can take advantage of free admission to a number of iconic Museums around Baltimore. American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum are just a few of the notable locations that offer free admission during certain days in October.

With all the events occurring in the metropolitan area it gives people more of an added value to visiting Baltimore.

Finding Your Passion the Old School Way – By Reading

In the early 2000s Baltimore used to be called “The City That Reads”. With technology making information more accessible what used to be necessary now becomes obsolete.

For instance, before the Internet people used to send mail and letters through the post office. But now people send texts and e-mails as fast as they can write them.

While the emergence of technology is great for human evolution, people neglect the resources of the past.

I’m talking about books, particularly the free and accessible ones. Before people read at Starbucks and Barnes and Nobles, people went to the library to get information.

The Enoch Pratt Free Libraryis a staple of Baltimore and has been around since 1882 and their central location being a cultural icon since 1886. Not only does it still keep the original knowledge base of information, the library also has free internet access as well as librarians who can help you find your passion.

While the main library is on 400 Cathedral St. With over 40 locations around Baltimore City, your bound to find a library closest to you.

There’s something about being in the library that makes you smarter just by going in there. With a wealth of books you can’t help but grab one and start skimming through it.

Here are three things that public don’t know about the Enoch Pratt Free Library:

1. They have a video collection – That’s right, you can rent DVDs right from the library. The central location alone has over 20 thousand DVDs. They do need a small fee to rent out a video it is still another alternative to RedBox and online Streaming.

2. They offer a wealth of workshops, events, and exhibits for the community to learn – Anime Clubs, Meditation Classes, Board Game Night, Computer Basics Classes, they offer more than you think and around the City locations. Check out what’s happening soon.

3. They have exercises in the library – In some locations they host fitness classes to the community. Their Get Fit @ Your Library program offers two community classes that offers a workout to popular line dances, hip-hop, Caribbean, and African rhythms.

Free Social Outdoor Fun

Enjoy the great outdoors but don’t want to go alone? Last week we showcased the Sierra Club. This week we’re showcasing the Maryland Outdoor Club. It’s a 100% volunteer-run club that offers low-cost social trips to great outdoors. Whether it’s hiking, camping, climbing or paddling as long as its outside and everyone is having fun that is all they care about.

Registration for this club is free as well as RSVP-ing for events. Since this club is voluntary the events are run by the members as well. Meaning if you want to do something but don’t want to go alone consider hosting an event to get others to join you.

While this is the Maryland Outdoor Club they love to travel outside their own backyard. Taking trips to beaches and mountains across the United States, they love to see what nature has to offer.

The only stipulation to joining this club is that you have to be an adult (over 18 years old) and sign a waiver before you take part any of the events. You don’t have to be from Marylandor be in shape to join this club. There are no fees or dues at the end of the month or year. It’s a no-risk, all-reward commitment. Just join their group and you’ll be able to be in the know of all the events happening through their newsletter.

Well Brazilian Jui Jitsu provides the fundamentals skill sets for effectiveness used in most martial arts. Teaching and expanding upon submission grappling to striking techniques Brazilian Jui Jitsu gives students a solid foundation. Even if you aren’t looking to step into the octagon anytime soon Brazilian Jui Jitsu still offers a great workout for anyone looking to get in shape. Whether you have done any martial arts experience in the beginning or just want to try to see why people train under Brazilian Jui Jitsu consider trying the Baltimore Brazilian Jui Jitsu. They not only offer BJJ but mixed martial arts and kickboxing classes as well.

Offering both adult and children exercises provides a great opportunity for the family to not only get in shape together but also teach your family self-defense.

Still not convinced if Brazilian Jui Jitsu is right for you?

Baltimore Brazilian Jui Jitsu provides a free e-course that helps you get started in BJJ and shows if BJJ is right for you or your family. Also the Baltimore BJJ also offers an introductory free month trail to try risk free. The best learning tool is experience and based on the testimonials on their website once people have begun training in Baltimore BJJ they have not looked back.

Stop and Smell the Roses…

Then Grab a Beer or Two!

Looking to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors but don’t know where to go or if there’s a club to join?

Consider joining the Greater Baltimore Group of the National Sierra Club (the Sierra Club for short). They have several events a week where you get to socialize and enjoy the best hiking trails of Baltimore and its surrounding areas. Other than hikes they also have social where people can get together and hang out and share a beer or two.

They have a calendar of upcoming events on their main website that are updated often. They have multiple events posted each month. Most events cost little to no money at all and it’s great exercise. If your thinking of joining any of the activities contact the host of the event for exact meeting times and places.

Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. has offered free fitness classes since May 20 at the Inner Harbor Sunday mornings but everything free must come to an end. These free fitness classes are scheduled to end at the end of this month.

Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. offers a wide array of exercises that starts with yoga, boot camp, barre (a mix of ballet, yoga, and pilates), and ends with zumba. Each fitness class runs about an hour long and starts promptly at 8:30 AM.

Overlooking the Inner Harbor while your breaking a sweat provides great lunch options once your workout session is over.

Whether you’re looking to attend all the fitness sessions or just one, while it may be free registration is required. Registration can be done by e-mailing Beth@WaterfrontPartnership.org.

11:30 AM – Zumba – Latin-Inspired, fast paced dance workout. For more information on Zumba click here. (On a side note – it’s harder than it looks, I’ve done it first hand and you WILL break a sweat and have a good time if you release your inhibitions and don’t care what people think)

Again if you are interested in this FREE EVENT, register bye-mail Beth@WaterfrontPartnership.org.

Well then come to Baltimore Dance Crews Project’s (BDCP) 5th Anniversary Kickoff. The event lasts from 10-2PM at Patterson Park Public Charter School and will offer two free workshops by hip-hop veterans Aaren Salido and Ken Estrellas.

The kickoff will also include special performances from hip-hop groups, Major Definition and SLAM.

Again no experience is required and it is free.

This is a great chance to learn more about hip hop culture while breaking a sweat.

They use the Hip-Hop art form as a hook to engage youth and reach students in Baltimore City to support their academics, health, and respective communities. Baltimore Dance Crews Project has established monthly community dance workshops, facilitated dance programs at several sites, directed a city-wide junior exhibition team, supported several community advocacy efforts, traveled throughout the East Coast, visited local universities, and has been invited to work with youth programs in other major cities in the United States.

While they work with youth they offer great dance work
An ever-growing organization with a great cause.

If you: – Want to dance more and meet people who do as well – Want to volunteer – Know any youth who love to dance – Want to know more
Then let them know!

That’s right. The oldest operating duckpin bowling alleys in the nation is located right here in Baltimore.

Now you might be asking yourself, what’s the difference between the two?

Well compared to the regular tenpin bowling alleys most people are accustomed to seeing, duckpin balls are smaller, shorter, and lighter.Duckpins only weigh between 2 – 3 pounds where as regular tenpin bowling balls range from 6 all the way to 16 pounds! Also the pins are lighter, shorter, and smaller.

Some say that duckpins are harder and more challenging than tenpin but you can be the judge.

Patterson Bowling Center is open daily. Enjoy 1 hour for $12 or 2 hours for $20 with Rental Shoes Included.

Located on 2105 Eastern Avenue, this place is in between Canton and Fells Point. Before or after you play a few sets of duckpin you can either grab a drink or bite at Nacho Mama’sat Fells Point or Brick Oven Pizza in Canton. If you’re not craving Mexican or Pizza there is a plethora of food at each place so you’ll have plenty of choices! You can also enjoy a delicious treat of Rita’s (before they close for the season if they haven’t already) which across the street from the bowling alley.

Patterson Bowling Center is also located a block away from Patterson Park. It’s a kid and pet friendly park. Perfect for a stroll. Overall a great date place.

A great workout for all body types and ages.

If you live in Baltimore and want to practice Yoga then you’ve probably heard of Charm City Yoga.

What makes Charm City Yoga great is that it has multiple locations and their community classes. Having over 6 locations around Baltimore your bound to find a studio closest to you. Also for those who do not want to spend a lot for a membership at a gym, they offer a community class for just $6!

This is great for first-timers who just want to see if its right for them and for people who just want to workout the body without paying for a membership. They also great introductory offers once you get hooked and want to reap the benefits of doing yoga consistently. What are they you ask? Well there’s too many to mention but I found this great link that explains why people do yoga.

Also looking for the $6 Drop-In Community Class? Click here to find the class nearest you.

OR

You can download their app that shows updated schedules right to their phones.

For $6 you have nothing to lose? Who know’s you might end up loving it!